Demons and Angels
by Xed Alpha
Summary: EVA El Hazard Crossover. . After a freak occurence after the fight with the 14th Angel, Shinji finds himself with a strange and not completely safe new companion. ShinjixKalia... yeah you heard! On haitus for now.
1. Death, Rebirth and everything inbetween

-1Disclaimer: Hmmkay... I'm relatively sure I don't own any related copyrights to either Neon Genesis Evangelion or El Hazard. Bottom line; if anything in the following document pisses you copyright holders (or representatives) off just say the word and ill remove this faster than you can say "the fate of destruction is the joy of rebirth" or "My names Kalia... Why are you so old?"

Sounds etc. (Authors comments) "Talking" 'thinking/internal monologue'

(An) Okay, whatever the HELL possessed me to write this fic I'm not entirely sure but since I'm pretty much 100 percent sure it hasn't been done before and I guess primarily I thought tossing two of the most opposed anime characters in history together might provide some momentary amusement I thought; why not?. Mainly also because since although most people HATED the second El Hazard OVA however I found its real redeeming factor to be its leading villainess, I mean _come on_ she had everything that makes a short lived character lovable; well used scenes; great lines (even in the dub); she was a bioengineered something-or-other; totally cute, even when she _was_ evil; the whole hair cut into bangs with light either white, silver, blue or sheer black tones (I'm thinking Rei, Kaoru, Lain, Ifurita, Melfina and god knows how many others) ANYHOO, due to a momentary lapse of judgement and moment of madness I decided to throw one of the most evil anime characters and the most meek, introverted... Hell almost opposite in every conceivable way, together... And why you say? Well... I have a keyboard, a monitor... And an internet connection and because for some reason I can't currently comprehend... I _felt_ like it... Meh to hell with my explanations and justifications... Game on!

**Demons and Angels**

**Prologue: Death, rebirth and everything in-between**

Failure...

It was in this instant... As the Key staff of Ifurita fired off a full powered discharge directly through the very core of her being... As she felt her very self begin to cave way to oblivion... She knew that was it...

...She was a failure

...She existed for revenge; and she had failed in that aspect; therefore she had lost the right to exist...

...But that was okay, she summarised; had she succeeded in accomplishing her purpose this would have been her destiny anyway...

...But there was another reason; on her back rested the hateful wishes and desires of millions of people long since dead; entrusting her with their legacy; their hopes... But no more; she had failed, therefore weather she wanted to or not she couldn't complete her mission... That was the only thing that elated her artificial soul in the last few nanoseconds of existence...

She had failed...

...But she was done.

...And now she could rest, _permanently_ this time.

At least that's how it obviously _should've_ been, but when you find yourself partly fused with an anti-matter based super weapon capable of collapsing dimensional barriers, and in fact was in the process of doing so; having your physical form supercharged and almost completely converted into energy when in such a _precarious_ situation, the obvious is something which is in all truth non-existent, this combined with another unwavering truth, and that is... That fate can be a real _bitch_ sometimes...

Energy... That's all she was now... A swirling mass of near nothingness traversing through the infinite boundaries of an infinite number of universes. But, as like in the old saying, that an infinite number of monkeys working at an infinite number of typewriters would eventually come up with the complete works of Shakespeare, that a mass of once humanoid and now not even self aware energy, travelling through an infinite mass of space, for an infinite amount of time at a near infinite speed would _eventually _find a place where it could rest, and... As fate had already saw fit to ensure... It did...

Like lightning to a lightning rod the energy was drawn... To a place in a dimension where another being currently in as fit a state as it was, was currently about to be reborn to its original state by will of its own from within the exposed ruby like core of Evangelion Unit-01... As the essence of one bio-engineered fighting machine was absorbed by another, and as all these mysteries and unpredictable events unfolded only one thing was now certain:

Yui Ikari was starting to wish she had made Unit-01's core a whole lot _bigger_ than she originally had.

---

"Ahh..." She breathed out slowly as a strange almost alien concept struck her... Awareness, something she hadn't possessed since time immemorial...

See that's the problem with being stuck in a non corporeal state; she could've been that way for five minutes or five trillion years, all she knew was... She _was_. Well at least to some degree that is. Her grey eyes opened as she found herself floating freely in a place which apparently had no concept or actual reality. Now although she had never _dreamed_ before, well since as long as she could _remember_ (which was really just the past few seconds of contemplation), though she was almost sure this must be what a dream was akin to...

Taking stock she pulled herself up into what could be observed as a standing position, or at least more alert and erect in appearance as she eyed her own form up and down; two legs; two arms; a matching torso; a skin-tight white suit with adorning gauntlets. "Guess I'm all here then..." She lamented with a raised eyebrow and was about to continue her observations as suddenly she gasped in shock, inadvertently letting out a slightly girlish scream as she caught only the end of the call which echoed through her very soul.

"**-HIM BACK!**"

It took a moment or two for her to compose herself, though it seemed as that voice's demand stayed glaringly loud like a constant roar throughout her entire darkened void-like surroundings.

It was then that there was a blinding flash around her which the small demon girl found herself wincing from as she finally managed to drown out the din around her that a voice sounded... The first voice she had heard for as long as her memory could recall...

"Who are you?" the curious voice enquired.

The white haired girl quirked her head around curiously as silence descended as if it were a bubble around them and blinked suddenly in surprise...

She was confronted with the image of a floating naked teenage boy baring a mask of intrigued curiosity, not shocked or stunned, just curious about her presence and had the look of someone who had just skidded to a halt on their way somewhere after stumbling across something of reasonable interest.

"Who are _you_?" she echoed, although having little memory remaining she still felt little inclination to surrender her personal information for no reason.

The boy pulled himself from his sidelong almost swim-like posture into a standing position that mirrored his counterpart as he bowed ever so slightly, "My name is Shinji Ikari..." The boy said politely.

"Hmm..." the girl said acceptingly but dismissively, turning away to look around herself.

"And..." Shinji prompted.

"And what?" the white haired girl enquired still with a tone of disinterest.

"Who are you? I... Don't think you should be here" he said carefully, as if finding it difficult to voice his feelings correctly.

The girl, who had up until now had bore a somewhat carefree and curious look suddenly gasped slightly; her eyes widening; as she suddenly swung back around in the fluidic-like space she was in, giving the boy her full surprised attention, "Shouldn't... Be here" she echoed; her eyes holding a lost and borderline pitiful look that the Third Child could tell, even though they had just met, didn't belong in her eyes, "I shouldn't _be... _Anymore"

"W-what happened, I don't see how, did you come here on purpose or-"

"-Purpose..." suddenly she flashed a sad smile, "...I had one of those once... I think... A purpose... Something I was meant for..."

Shinji's posture became more relaxed as he stared at the solitary girl, "What was it... You were meant for?"

The girl made no reply, yet it was clear she was thinking about the question, as if the world they were in had filtered out those memories of her purpose and leaving her with only recollection of her personality and self image "I... Don't remember... It feels like it was such, such a long time ago... But I _know_, whatever it was, I must have failed in it... I feel no reason... Nor need... to exist again"

Shinji found himself without anything to say, so he asked the only thing he could, insignificant as it was, "What's your name?"

Silence descended for a few seconds until the girls sad smile suddenly brightened as the girl found recollection in that area at least, "...Kalia" she said simply as her eyes suddenly focused and flashed her associate a baffled look, "and why the _hell_ don't you have any clothes on!"

Shinji suddenly gaped as he glanced downwards, suddenly noticing he was clad in nothing more than his birthday suit; the sudden blush on his face illuminating the empty void around them, "Ah... Well umm... I'm-"

"_-Butt naked?_" she interrupted a strangely wide grin on her face. Causing him to stammer incoherently to the point it was aggravating.

Shrugging her shoulders and rolling her eyes the girl merely swung around so she wasn't facing her counterpart (or his shame), "It doesn't matter... Tell me what you are doing here" she enquired in a level demanding tone. Then her face turned to a mask of severe agitation as she glanced upwards, "And who the _hell_ is making that noise!" she demanded, in reference to the call which was seeming to hang in the air.

"I'm not too sure of the first question. I just _know_ I was on my way somewhere when I met you... But that voice... Yes... That is where I must be... There are still things that must be done, I cannot remain here... I have to go home..."

"Hmph, fine, get lost" Kalia mumbled dismissively

"W-what about you?" Shinji asked curiously, with a hint of concern in his voice.

In an almost lifeless tone she replied, "I already told you... I've lost my purpose for existence..."

"What _was_ your purpose?" Shinji enquired curiously, sparking Kalia into deep thought.

"Such a long time ago... By my own devices or not; I can't tell. Either way the result is the same; I've lost it... Even the memory... I'm still me... But I've lost the meaning behind it... Therefore there is no point in me existing any longer"

Shinji could've sword the mysterious girl had inadvertently done an imitation of another short haired girl he knew and he found that depressing him to no end, "B-but you _do _still exist; you're right here"

"aren't we the master of observation..." she muttered sarcastically.

Silence descended again for many a moment.

Shinji's eyes narrowed, "W-what if I were to... I dunno, _give_ you a purpose?"

Kalia blinked suddenly and quirked her head around from the foetal position she had unconsciously folded herself into, "_What_?" she gasped, whether it was from shock or was simply incredulous, neither knew.

Shinji backed up defensively, "W-what I mean is... Well... What is it you _can_ do? Do you remember?"

"Yes... I know still what I'm capable of... My name is Kalia..." Inhaling; as if bracing herself she defined her statement "...Child of Destruction... Created to fight, to destroy... For a reason that is now lost to me"

Shinji fell silent; that was _not_ an answer he could've expected, normally he would have backed off and ran away from the situation, but in this place he felt himself a lot more open than usual, so at least with her answer he had something to work with, "Well..." he began, pausing to think, "There _is _a war on right now... Believe it or not we're fighting against a hoard of angels trying to wipe out the human race... So... I was just thinking... Perhaps you could find a new purpose"

The white haired demon suddenly laughed to herself, "Kalia... Protector of the weak and defenceless... For some reason I find that option so ridiculous its _hilarious_"

Shinji sighed, it was like talking to a manically depressed brick wall "Okay... How's about I guarantee you'll get to destroy... Umm... Giant monsters and eh... Stuff"

"Tempting... It has seemed like an eternity since I got my rocks off if you know what I mean... But what is done is done..."

Shinji rolled his eyes, normally by now he would have given up, but for some reason he felt like leaving the girl here would end up gnawing seriously at his already overborne conscience and either way may have some other repercussions. Letting out a frustrated groan he spoke, "_Right_, I see only two ways out of this"

"Well?" the girl sighed.

"One; you can stop moping and feeling sorry for yourself 'Christ! Your almost as bad as me!' or two; we can sit together bugging each other from _now_... Until the _end of time_"

Kalia's eyes widened; she'd only been with this kid consciously for the better part of _five minutes_

and she already felt like ripping out his rib-bones and impaling him with them (and as far as she could tell that _had_ to be some kind of a record even for her) if this was her _non-existence_ she felt she may as well _try_ and seek a purpose...

After a minute she exhaled with a sigh, "_Alright_... What do you suggest then?"

Shinji hummed in thought "_Well_... I _was_ on my way home when I met you... I dunno, you could... Come with me"

'pfft, humans only live a set lifetime; at least it wont be an _eternity_ ill be stuck with this _imbecile_'

As if out of nowhere a shaft of brilliant light pierced through the darkness, momentarily blinding the girl, as she opened her eyes to find the boy standing illuminated by the light; looking slightly amused with a serene smile at her, his hand extended

"Well... _Coming then_?"

Hesitating for a second, the demon-girl pulled herself out of her hunched up position, staring up at the boy as his soft, yet somehow deeply sad eyes stared into her as she unfolded her arm and extended her hand up towards his.

As their limbs closed together the shaft of light erupted around them as their energy patterns were converted back to their normal state... And set free

---

"**GIVE HIM BACK!**" the distraught lavender haired Misato Katsuragi practically roared in command at the stoic form of Evangelion Unit-01 before breaking down into tears once more, completely unaware of the spectre of Unit-01's exposed core glowing brilliant red, shooting out two small bursts of red energy which instantly reformed as they struck the cold metal surface of the catwalk.

"Huh?" Came her dreary enquiry through her teary eyes as she finally registered the loud thud that sounded in front of her...

The major's eyes widened in shock at the sight that befell her:

There; dripping in LCL on the catwalk, was a very unconscious Shinji Ikari, and her instincts kicked in almost instantaneously.

"Shinji!" She exclaimed, as she jumped up to grasp the child in her arms, with such speed she almost tripped over as she suddenly did a double take as she got a better perspective of the scene in front of her...

"What?" she breathed out as she stared down

Just laying beyond the prone pilot who had his hand extended out in front of him and, bafflingly, intertwined with the hand of a second prone figure... A girl, with white hair and tanned skin; laying half on her side; not naked like the pilot but instead wearing a strange almost skin-tight white cat-suit; the legs being a slightly greyer shade unbeknownst to them matched her eyes, the shoulders and arms adorned with metal plating and large red gems...

It was almost after three minutes of gob-smacked staring by all observing parties that it was Dr Ritsuko Akagi who was the first to regain her senses and demand a pair of stretcher parties and a security force to accompany the pilot and stranger who had appeared.

---

It was 2 days later when, although still unconscious, the Third Child was accepted to be in good health. Meanwhile, having been transferred into the same hospital room as the pilot (although still having a single heavily armed Section 2 agent poised at the foot of her bed at all times), that the tests on the stranger began to take a more definitive turn...

"Well? What's the good word Ritsuko?" Came Misato's voice as she strolled into one of NERV's monitoring rooms, its wall dominated by several large monitors and one large one built into the floor.

"Well Shinji it seems is getting stronger by the hour and we've predicted he should awaken within the next twelve hours. But the anomaly is still proving to be somewhat of a confusion"

Although hiding her frown at her friend's cold term for referring to the mysterious girl the Major couldn't hide her curiosity, "So have you figured anything out about her yet? Have you found out where she came from?"

"The blood sample we took is still being analysed. And as for where she came from... We still don't have a clue. But we have found out _one_ thing"

"What's that?"

"That outfit she's wearing..."

"Yeah; the one you had trouble getting off her"

"And we _still_ haven't; it seems parts of it are _so_ tightly attached that they almost seem part of her body, so we're not quite sure if forcibly removing them would be a wise option to take... For all we know it could kill her... And then... There was _this-_" with this Ritsuko leaned over and hit a key, causing an image of what was clearly the girl's outline with a magnified section highlighted with notes surrounding it.

"W-what, what is it?"

"We don't know... Is like some sort of hole at the base of her spine, as if something were to be plugged in, its clearly mechanical in appearance, yet as far as we can the majority of the rest of her seems to be purely biological"

"So... You're saying she's _bio_-mechanical?" Misato offered

"_Yes_, it would seem so" Ritsuko replied almost definitively.

"Just like..."

"_Yes_..." Ritsuko interrupted in anticipation, "...Just like the EVA"

"A coincidence?"

"Possibly... We cant be entirely sure, she _could_ I suppose be some kind of _product_ of the EVA. Also our x-rays and MRI scans, as far as they can penetrate that is, show mechanical attachments seamlessly integrated into her frame as part of her body which certainly reinforces the theory"

"I see, but what do you mean 'as far as they can penetrate'?"

Ritsuko inclined her head, slightly impressed at her friend's ability to be asking just the right questions as of late "That _is_ another thing... Only exposed parts of her body; her head, hands, lower back and feet are the only parts we can get a scan through to her. Although we cant remove it, we did cut off a sample of that suit she's wearing and it came up with some extraordinary results..."

Misato walked up to the screen as it brought up and image of a small piece of cloth with multiple analysis results surrounding it, "Translation?"

"It isn't just some kind of tight suit designed for ease of mobility or feeling like our plugsuits; its made of some kind of hyper-heat and pressure resistant material we've never encountered, its clear what she's wearing is some kind of specifically designed combat exo-suit. Those gems we haven't even had a _chance_ to look at and our metallurgists have been bugging my department to get a sample of the metallic areas on her shoulders"

"God... So what does Commander Ikari have to say"

"Well the commander as far as I can tell, sees this one as nothing more as some kind of 'meat by-product' of everything that's happened to Unit-01; so as long as she doesn't prove to be a threat and the repairs on Unit-01 and the continued monitoring of it's S2 organ aren't affected, he sees the entire situation as inconsequential"

Misato crossed her arms in slight agitation, "And I'm guessing he hasn't even _asked_ if his own son is in good health"

Ritsuko sighed sadly as she began mashing in commands on a nearby console, "You should know better than to ask that..."

The Major snorted distastefully "Hmph guess that's true" Misato said walked over to a nearby wall and leaned back against it drearily, not noticing the panel near the doctor blinking to life indicating some rather important news "So what we could be looking at is that this girl could be some kind of _mini-EVA_ hybrid or something then, is it?" She enquired curiously, just noticing Ritsuko hunched over that same screen with her oval glasses on reading the information analytically.

"Well _I've_ got a question for _you_ Misato; if the anomaly _is_ in fact an EVA creation... Why has her blood pattern analysis just returned as Code 601?"

"_What_?" Misato breathed, pushing off from the wall and sliding across next to her friend to look at the screen which, indeed, had the words blood pattern analysis in the top left with the rest of the screen being dominated by a large '601'. Silence fell for a second as Misato spoke slowly as if in deep thought as she spoke the meaning behind the code and what happened to be the words hanging over them "Cannot... Be... Identified?"

"So it would seem" Ritsuko said levelly as she stood back up to full height.

Misato remained at the screen, staring at the simple code as if it would offer _some_ clarification, "Then just what the _hell_ is she?"

"I don't know. Even when analysing the Fourth Angel the Magi could at least come up with a wave-pattern comparison of it's DNA to our own; but this is something so _different_ the MAGI can't even _compare_ it to anything it can currently comprehend"

"So if the angels were something that were beyond our scope of understanding then this _girl_ is-"

"-As I said... A complete and utter anomaly"

Sighing out, the Major asked the only question she really could, "_Well... H_ow is she? As far as you can tell anyway?" Misato asked curiously, her eyes locked on an image of the slumbering girl.

"_Well_ we've registered a steady of what we must _assume_ is a heartbeat; blood pressure, assuming it _is_ blood, is a little low, else normal; brain activity, which as a side note seems to be the _only_ thing which is almost identical to ours, is a little weak but not within any danger limits. Overall she _seems_ fine, in any normal person I can only say she's suffering from a severe case of physical and mental exhaustion"

"Just like-" Misato began, but was interrupted by Ritsuko once again.

"_Yes_, just like Shinji... Although she seems to be recovering at a faster rate; the initial amount of activity and strength initially showed was barely a tenth of Shinji's"

"But now she's recovering so much _faster_" Misato said in awe as she continued to stare at the girl.

"_Yeah_.. Even if she _isn_'thuman you've got to wonder; just _where_ does such a small form get all that _energy_..."

It was ironic as, at this time, if one were to be monitoring something as insignificant as the power consumption levels for the medical scanning an observation equipment directly connected to the 'anomaly', one would've noticed such levels were bordering on nearly _fifty times_ greater than normal; yet it was being done at such a slow yet constant rate the equipment was relaying that energy through so many of it's component parts as it would not blow a fuse or alert those using it...

---

It was nearly half a day later that the guard in the room of the two who had recently emerged from Unit-01 had begun to relax on his shift; having started with two counterparts, after a few days the detail reduced to only two until, for the last 2 days, had been just by himself with a mere break of six hours, covered by a temp trainee while he rested until he was placed back onto duty. Now after such strenuous repetitiveness, with steadily official relaxation of the guard it couldn't be helped that the tall man with his MP-5 rifle had gone on a steady downward tangent from full constant attention; to occasionally resting his weapon at his side to take a stretch and yawn; to keeping it down with his arms folded; to, after many hours and little sleep, led to leaning up against the wall with his arms crossed barely paying attention to anything even around him. Needless to say; his job satisfaction was waning quickly...

And he could hardly be faulted for his lack of alertness to the events which followed next, primarily for the plain and simple reason that anything remotely human who had been comatose for several days now could hardly be expected to suddenly spring themselves to alert with just a momentary glance away.

_Pity_ that one of the prone figures... Just so happened to be a tad past that borderline, on what one really could consider as 'remotely human'

heck even the almost seemingly constantly alert Rei Ayanami; of whom had been sitting vigil by the Third Child's side for nearly 24 hours now, had become somewhat off-guard in her observations herself...

Kalia had found herself conscious; laying flat on a soft surface; this was her first thought, it was as she barely opened her eyes that she noticed the tightness on three sections of her body was caused by restraints holding her down; ignoring these the white haired girl sat up; the straps over her snapping off at the buckles which held them in place at each side of the bed as she sat effortlessly up into a sitting position, shrugging her arms free, she brought her hands up in front of her face; examining her lower arms and progressively the rest of her body, _just_ then hearing the resounding click and feeling of something cold and metallic pressing against the side of her head.

"**HANDS IN THE AIR!"** Came the unnecessarily loud command from her side, causing the girl to stare sideways up and down the steel cylindrical object planted firmly against her skull.

Kalia blinked, unaware also of the mumbling and groaning of the person this loud call had suddenly began to stir from his slumber as, from her facing forward position, her grey eyes traced sideward down the barrel of the rifle aimed at her; while Ayanami stood at firm attention ready to either swiftly call for help or otherwise depending on how the situation developed...

The white haired girl's eyes continued to focus down the side of the weapon that was threatening to attempt to blow her brains out, although felt little concern for her own safety; heck, unbeknownst to them her epidermis _alone_ had been genetically engineered to be nearly twenty times the equivalent resilience of hardened steel, and that was without diverting any of her energies to reinforce her defence.

"**I SAID-**" he began to repeat louder, but was interrupted as the girl opened her mouth.

"Interesting..." Kalia said in a curious tone as she leaned sideways to stare at the length of the rifle, "...This... Is some kind of weapon... isn't it ?" she enquired, as the man froze when her hand slowly reached up and ran down the side of the black steel with a ghost of a childish smile on her face, totally uncaring of what the object of her interest was capable of.

The man merely backed up a few steps reflexively, having nothing to really say as the girl didn't seem in the least bit intimidated and now just had an almost pouting 'whatcha do that for?' look on her face. Running out of options the man cocked the side of his weapon for emphasis and levelled it at her head once again; the action of chambering a round merely drawing out further confusion. Having no specific orders to kill the girl combined with the fact she hadn't really done anything that can be classed as provocative; he did the only thing he could, and reached for his radio.

Looking simply curious and innocent, on the inside however, Kalia's mind was ablaze of tactical contemplation for reasons she couldn't understand; they just seemed... _natural_ to have.

'Physically inferior...' her mind tacked as she stared at the guard, 'some kind of light weight body armour' she added as she stared at the visible bullet-proof vest he was wearing under his suit jacket, 'some kind of projectile weapon, barrel width and length indicates no threat' then as an afterthought she stared at the thing in his hand 'and some kind of short range communications device' humming in acceptance of the facts she had she merely chose to take stock of her most pressing issue; and that was the weakness she could feel in her body, "Low energy..." she mumbled quietly, staring down at her arms; she had awakened with just enough power absorbed from her surroundings just to get herself up and about and had inadvertently used _that_ just sitting up and breaking her restraints. It was beginning to turn out however that her subconscious may have been a little short in its calculations, "Damn..." she whispered, slumping back onto her bed and rolling onto her side to conserve her energy until she could find a suitable source to juice up on.

---

Kalia awoke again nearly twenty minutes later, this time to the rather annoying experience of someone shining a torch in her eye.

"She's conscious..." Ritsuko announced with a surprisingly level tone as the sleeping girls pupils contracted suddenly after being exposed to her pocket torch, as she released the girl's eye, her other eye opened to look up, wincing at the sudden brightness and the fact that there were several strangers staring down at her, "...And the other one..." she said as she moved her torch to her other eye when suddenly, like a panicked animal, the girl's small arm suddenly swung up and batted the torch out of her hand sending it flying halfway across the room.

Ritsuko recoiled back in shock along with Major Katsuragi, Kalia also sliding backwards against her pillow defensively almost hugging her body to herself like a cornered animal as her grey eyes blinked left and right rapidly around the room.

"H-hey, just calm down there, no ones going to hurt you..." Misato said slowly in as careful a tone as she could, carefully extending a hand towards the girl.

"Don't touch me!" She snapped, batting the majors hand away from her.

"_Look_, we just want to ask a few questions... Weather you like it or not you're going to have to-" Ritsuko explained, but was interrupted again by the girl.

"I don't give a _damn _what you want, just _keep_ away from me and tell me; where am I? What is this place?" Kalia said at a quickening pace as he voice became more and more frantic.

Ritsuko exhaled defeatedly, "I can see you're in a panic and I sympathise. So I'm just going to give you a little something to help you relax" Ritsuko said as she withdrew a syringe from her pocket.

"You... What the hell do you think you're doing!" Kalia demanded as she eyed the needle in the doctor's hand, she didn't need a degree in this world's medical technology to know what that was.

"Just relax, we're trying to help" Misato said softly, gripping the girl's arm.

"NO, _NO_! I said **let me go!**!" Kalia demanded in a panicked struggle; it wasn't really the fear of a shot that was driving her into a frenzy, it was the confusion of awakening into this strange place with no definitive memory of the details of her past, completely weakened and with _ultimately_ nowhere else to turn.

What she would give for just a quick wind of her keystaff...

If the Major's hand were to move just a _bit_ lower towards her had, Kalia was sure she could just drain her energy away to boost herself just enough to get free, but in her current position, she was trapped... _again_.

crack!

This was the resounding sound as the doctors mini-torch cruised through the air and struck her squarely on the side of her wrist causing her to drop the syringe as she flexed back in pain...

All eyes turned sideward toward the sound of the panting breath...

"Leave... Hah... Her... **ALONE!**" came the demand of a clearly infuriated and extremely awake Shinji Ikari.

"Shinji..." Came Misato's stunned breath as all eyes in the room stared at the Third Child who had apparently managed to climb out of bed, still in his hospital gown and swipe the nearest throwable blunt object and hurl it without even thinking. Managing to pull himself up from his crouching position with the help of the metal frame of his hospital bed, "...We were only trying to..." Misato began as she attempted an explanation...

None had however looked more stunned as Kalia who's tanned appearance looked seriously pale, as if she'd seen a ghost.

"_Funny_..." Shinji began with annoyed sarcasm, still trying to catch his breath as he continued, "...But last time I checked it was _law_ that patients had the right to _refuse_ treatment... Hah... Or was there a memo I missed?"

---

His intervention certainly did calm things down, although if the doctor _was_ angry about the sizeable bruise that she would no doubt be soon sporting on her wrist, she hid it well.

Kalia who had also calmed down, but had once again exhausted herself, was sitting fully up against her pillows, eyed the pilot curiously, of whom was now sitting on the edge of her bed and staring back with the same curious look.

"Why did you help me?" the girl asked suddenly.

"I don't know... But I do... Know you" He said carefully as he continued to stare at her, "..._Right_?"

Kalia nodded, "You don't remember... _Do you?_" the demon-girl stated more than asked.

"I'm sorry... When things like this happen with EVA... Its like it was all a dream that I cant quite remember exact details beyond general flashes and instincts"

"What were you _doing_ inside the EVA?" Ritsuko's voice enquired from the side to the girl.

"EVA?" Kalia enquired to Shinji.

"Umm, I'm not to sure how to put it, but to simply put it I would have to say that that place we met was _inside_ the EVA; which is in fact a sort of giant kind of bio-mechanical fighting machine I have the ability to pilot"

"So _what_ were-" Ritsuko began

"-No need to repeat yourself blondie, I heard you the first time"

Ritsuko's eyes widened at the bluntness of her reply, "And?"

Kalia fell silent then, as if never hearing her question, turned back to Shinji, "Before I'm doing anything... There's something I _want_ from you" she said as she pulled herself up with slight difficulty but once she was up she stabilised on her feet and approached the pilot who had now gripped the bed sheets nervously as the girl stood over him, "As I can see... There is only _one_ thing I know of now... Besides me... And that is you" Kalia said, her grey eyes piercing in an almost mesmerizing fashion into Shinji' dark blue ones, "And now..." She said almost in a whisper, "I want you to give it to me... _Now_"

"What?" Shinji unwillingly yelped out.

"N-now wait just a damn minute you!" Misato suddenly demanded to the girl of whom was now practically laying over the frozen form of Shinji Ikari.

"You cant do such an embarrassing thing... For gods sake there are people watching!"

"Pfft! An objection on embarrassing things coming from mister naturist?" she said with an insanely wide grin, practically eye to eye now.

"Naturist? Shinji do you have a hobby we aren't aware of?" Ritsuko enquired with a very raised eyebrow.

"I swear I have absolutely _no idea_ what she is talking about!" Shinji half squealed as Kalia had him practically pinned him down.

Kalia suddenly grinned "Well, I wont say another word if you give me what you promised you would... Give me what I _need_" she gasped practically to his face in a far more seductive method than she intended.

"I.. I cant... Give you _anything_"

Shinji's eyes suddenly widened as the desperate look in the girl's eyes turned almost shockingly distraught as the confusion of her situation caught up as what she felt of as her only lifeline was cut...

Gripping Shinji's fingers so hard he felt she might break them he stared into the desperate look that suddenly flooded her eyes like a disease, "You... _Promised_..." Her fingers, intertwined with his, suddenly tightened to the point it was painful.

"What? TELL ME... What did I promise you" Shinji suddenly demanded in a clear tone, gripping back the girls hands as if to gain leverage.

Kalia suddenly slumped forward, her white bangs resting over half of Shinji's face as she spoke directly into his ear not even remotely covertly, not caring who heard...

"_Give me_ my purpose... Give me back my existence"

Shinji suddenly gasped as her words stuck more than a few chords with him, "I... _Did _promise you that... I don't remember but I _know _I did"

"Then **tell me**... Give me a reason... Give me _back _my existence"

"Shinji you_ have_ to-" Ritsuko began but was interrupted brutally.

"**I WASN'T TALKING TO YOU!**" Kalia suddenly snapped, with a hint of hidden desperation in her tone, "Please... Just tell me... What is my goal... What do you want me to do?"

"He-..lp... Me" Shinji's virtually inaudible whisper came, almost silent, directly into the ear of the form clinging to him.

"What? Say it... Say it again!"

"He...lp ME!" Shinji said quietly but ended in a clear difinitive shout.

"What is it you want? What is it you _need_ from me?"

Panting Shinji spoke, staring right into her eyes, "I need you to help... Help me to _fight_!... _HELP ME **WIN!**_"

Kalia was now breathing as heavily as the Third Child as they stared into one another's eyes, as her breathing calmed down over the teenager, she smiled, "_Sure_... I can live with that... As of now... I fight with you" She said, suddenly staring so clearly her grey eyes were almost crystal; so active; her wide smile seemed almost inhuman as Ritsuko finally spoke up (Misato currently in a state of near total shock)

"Are you ready to answer some questions now?"

Kalia hummed again in her usual detached method.

"Wha'dyou want lady?" she asked rolling her eyes...

Ritsuko frowned indignantly as she spoke, "Just _Tell me_ how it was you came to be inside Unit-01's core; What exactly it is you are and where exactly it is you came from"

"I was brought there... From _somewhere_... And now I'm here" Kalia said, pausing to think as she spoke.

"From where?" Misato finally spoke up curiously

"Where I was before" she answered simply

"Where?"

"Dunno, cant remember"

"Can I ask a question?" Came Shinji's voice"

"What?"

"Will you get off me now?"

"You're no fun" Kalia pouted rolling off Shinji and sitting up.

"Do you remember your name at least?" Ritsuko asked feeling somewhat exasperated.

"Of course I know that, the name's-"

"-Kalia... Her name's Kalia" Shinji said suddenly, his eyes suddenly widening.

All eyes suddenly turned to Shinji, then back to the girl, who was looking at Shinji with a slight smirk on her face.

"Is that right?" Misato enquired.

"Either that was a lucky guess... Or you're not quite as amnesiac as your making out"

"You remember anything else Shinji?" Asked Ritsuko curiously.

"Its difficult... I guess there was so much information it overwhelmed me, it comes out as flashes the stuff I've managed to figure out that is. The rest feels like its been blocked out, like it was... I don't know... Forbidden"

"I... See"

"Hmph, I don't know about you're damaged brain, but my mind has no such limitation" Kalia said with a hint of pride.

Sighing, not sure if there was even a point in asking the girl so she bit her tongue and asked anyway, "And what _do_ you remember?"

"Well, I remember this big empty void... A loud annoying voice demanding something back, and what else? Oh yes, the nudist boy here" she explained, stabbing a thumb at Shinji to her side.

"I am _not_ a-" Shinji stammered out, blushing furiously.

"Yeah yeah whatever. I need to get out of this place" She said suddenly as she stood up, wavering however grasping her head as if struck by a wave of dizziness.

"Are you alright!" Shinji said reflexively as he jumped up, grasping her by the arm to steady her. "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing alright; I'm just a little weak right now" She said, slipping her arm free and taking a few steps to steady herself.

"I think you need to rest; there are still a few tests we'd like to run"

Kalia sneered as she narrowed her grey eyes at the doctor, "I'd bet you would... But I've had enough rest, my strength and potential energy won't regenerate further if I remain inert for so

Long. I can't let that happen"

"Why? What are you so desperate to do?" Misato asked.

"I've got a purpose again... But I'm useless as I am"

The room fell silent once again as Shinji stood up and grasped a nearby bag and headed towards the rooms ensuite shower/toilet.

"What are you doing?" Kalia asked with little interest.

"Getting changed, you feel like you want to go wander and I'm going with you, but unfortunately I'm a bit adverse to doing that wearing only a hospital gown"

It was as the room went quiet again as Shinji went off to change, leaving Kalia humming and rolling on the balls of her heels as Misato suddenly spoke.

"What are you? And stow the little miss innocent crap, what do you want with Shinji? And don't even _pretend_ that you're just some run-of-the-mill human"

"You're right; I'm not; not human at all" Kalia said lightly with no hint of seriousness in her tone.

"Are you bio-mechanical?" Misato asked as Kalia fell silent again.

"Mmhmm" she hummed in agreement

"Designed for?" She asked again quickly.

"I'm not entirely sure; fighting I guess" she answered in her usual tone as she went back to her humming

"So... You're a weapon then" Misato summarised.

"Hmm, yes and no" she answered intentionally annoyingly answering only the questions she was asked.

"Yes and no?"

"Weapon is such a _harsh_ word" she clarified.

"But you _were_ created" Misato summarised.

"...Uh huh" Kalia answered, but clearly losing the humour in her tone.

"If you know _that_, then tell me _who_ created you" Misato enquired in a slightly more demanding tone.

Kalia suddenly snarled at the woman, "Are you going _deaf_ in your old age lady! I already told you I don't remember ANYTHING!"

Misato growled more at the age quip than her refusal to offer satisfactory information, taking a breath to steady herself, she spoke again. "_Okay_. Then what do you want with Shinji? Why him?"

"To be honest... I have no idea, besides the fact it was he who gave me my new directive, since what was most likely my previous programming was erased when whatever happened to turn me into some kind of swirling mass of energy _happened_... Plus; he's kinda cute don't you think"

"He's also standing right behind you" Ritsuko observed clinically, causing Kalia to swing round and subsequently, make Shinji try and look as small as possible .

"You're insane..." Misato observed shaking her head.

Kalia smiled cutely in response, "You're probably right, though I'd personally only go so far as to say _unbalanced_"

"Umm, I'm just going to... Get something to eat" Shinji said over Kalia's shoulder to Misato, I haven't eaten anything decent in a month and I'm _very_ hungry"

"You sure you're alright?" the major asked worriedly.

"I'm fine"

"He's been given a clean bill of health so I don't see why he should be kept in any longer" Ritsuko added.

"Great, ill go with you!" Kalia said happily.

"_You_ are not going anywhere" Ritsuko said firmly.

"Why? What am _I_ going to do? I'm barely strong enough to _stand_ and walk, let alone go wage war on anyone. Besides... I haven't even been told _who_ to fight yet"

Shinji's voice spoke up nervously from behind them, "I... _Could _keep an eye on her; I've got my cell, you know, just in case anything happens" said the third, with his hand currently on the door handle.

Misato held for a moment in silence in thought, "Shinji... She could be-"

"She's _not_ dangerous... Not to me... I _know_ she's not"

Misato's jaw hung slightly open at the decisiveness in the Third's eyes for a moment, exhaled, then spoke, "_alright_... But know you're going to be kept under constant surveillance at _all_ times"

"Alright..." Shinji replied with a nod of his head.

"'kay" Kalia said with her usual deceptively innocent smile.

Sighing Shinji yanked the door open, jumping back in shock as five automatic rifles were suddenly aimed at his head.

"It's alright..." Misato sighed, "...They can go"

Shinji nervously weaved around the armed black suited men, Kalia merely shooting the one in her path a dangerous glare causing him to wince and slide out of her path.

---

"You think it was a good idea to just _let them go_? We don't really know what she's capable of yet"

"I doubt she's going to do anything to Shinji but as far as what she's capable of I didn't want to get her angry enough to _show us_"

"Your appeasing her then?" Ritsuko summarised

"For now... If she's telling the truth, then I guess there's no need to worry... She says she doesn't remember who created her"

"And?"

"Assuming she _was _telling the truth, and she knew what happened inside the EVA; then wouldn't she have _known _where she came from"

"what are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying; if she didn't originally come from EVA... Where _did_ she come from?"

---

Besides the usual click click of the elevator's floor indicator the silence covered the small descending box and its two occupants like a blanket...

"Something on my face?" Kalia asked, even from a sideways glance she could tell Shinji was stealing glances at her.

"N-no! I was just wondering..."

"Hmm?"

"I heard you say... You aren't human, i-is that true?"

"That's what I said" having said this she turned completely to him, raising a hand and tracing a finger down his cheek, "..._Scared_?" causing him to yelp involuntarily she let out a small giggle.

"W-well can you blame me for being a bit nervous?"

Frowning slightly she dropped her hand to her side, "Why, don't you like me?"

"N-no it's nothing like that"

Kalia smiled widely, "Ahh, so you _do_ like me"

"I've only _known_ you a day!" he said incredulously, though he couldn't deny he found the girl attractive, her forwardness was overwhelming.

"I've known _you_ as long as I can remember... You're _all_ I know"

Shinji's eyes widened for an instant as he considered the girl's position, then averting his eyes downwards, "Really... You shouldn't have such faith in me"

"Too late" Kalia said simply looking off smiling slightly, "...I've made my decision; and now you're _stuck_ with me"

Shinji couldn't help but smile at her almost childish decisiveness.

"So... Where are we going?" Kalia enquired as she followed Shinji as the elevator doors opened.

"Cafeteria, I'm not sure about you, but I'm starved" with that, Shinji suddenly stopped, turning back to his companion.

"What?"

"_Do_ you eat?"

"I don't _have_ to, let's just say I'm very _adept_ at using different kinds of energy, though eating isn't exactly the most efficient way of gaining energy, I can help, so... Yes, I _can_ eat, I just don't feel the _need_ to"

Shinji stared off to the side in thought, "Oh... Umm, so, _do_ you want to?"

Kalia's eyes narrowed, "Like I said... I need the energy"

Shinji smiled as he turned around, glancing her up and down quickly as he turned around, "good; but watch your figure..."

The demon blinked twice as he walked off, "_MEANING!"_" she asked indignantly in a higher pitched tone than she intended, shocked more as Shinji could be heard laughing under his breath as she ran to catch up, when she found Shinji at a halt at a cross in the corridor, staring at someone...

---

"Ayanami..." Shinji said as he noticed his fellow pilot waiting for the elevator.

"Pilot Ikari... You look well"

"Y-yeah I'm up and about"

Rei nodded, "I see, that's good, I'm... Glad to see you again"

"Hey... It's you" Came Kalia's voice as she stopped beside Shinji.

Shinji's head turned to Kalia, back to Rei and to Kalia again, "You've _met_?"

"Well, she was in the room we were both sleeping in when I first awoke for a moment"

"I see... You have awakened also"

"Everyone is _so_ observant around here" Kalia muttered to herself, yet loud enough to hear.

"Identify yourself" Rei said, her crimson eyes burrowing into the white haired newbie.

"R-rei, this is Kalia, Kalia; this is Rei Ayanami, pilot of EVA Unit-00"

"Hmm" Kalia hummed cocking her head and eyeing the girl up and down.

"W-we were just going to get something to eat, would you like to join us?"

Rei contemplated the offer for a moment, "I'm sorry, but I must return to my apartment, I... Have gone without sleep for too long" the albino girl said as she turned away slightly.

"How long were you by him?" Kalia asked suspiciously.

Rei blinked at the suddenness of the question, "I... Was by the EVA when he was released, I... Stayed with him until you awoke"

Shinji glanced at his watch as the ding elevator's arrival sounded, "B-but Rei that was over 24 hours ago, th-that means-"

"-I'm sorry, I must go" Rei said quickly as the elevator doors closed, segregating them.

Shinji held in his spot before turning and heading off, "My god, she' must've been awake for so long..."

Kalia shrugged her shoulders as she fell in place, "Ill say; she's been away so _long_ her eyes've gone red..."

---

"Well we're almost there; I'm sure we'll be able to get all the 'energy' we want" Shinji said, smiling back to her, as he suddenly noticed her frozen to the spot ; tensed up, her breathing seemed heavy, her right hand seemed to be twitching as Shinji prepared to walk up to her she interrupted.

What Shinji_ couldn't _was sense her thought tracks and feelings and one thing Kalia could do, as a defensive mechanism, was sense and detect energy sources and, like a light magnetic force, she could sense the reverberations of it and when in her weakened state; the source that was buzzing her drew her a few steps to the right...

"Kalia... What is it?"

"Shinji..." She began wide eyed as her hand extended ever-so-slightly towards the opened service hatch containing a group of thick black exposed cables as her eyes locked onto a large sign on the inside of the door next to them, "...Tell me..."

"What?" Shinji breathed, as he stepped forward cautiously.

Kalia felt her gauntlet on her right hand buzz as she spoke, "...What does 'high voltage' mean?"

To be continued...

Authors Notes

Okay ill admit I made Kalia a little less malicious and insane as she was in the series, but I thought with her single minded mission to wipe out all of civilisation erased, all that was left would be her usual personality and a sense of loneliness, but don't worry; I plan on returning her to her full grade badass self once she has the full ability and inclination to do so. I've kind of started this fic to add colour to the two I'm currently writing (the other being an EVA/DBZ fic) and weather or not I decide to really continue this fic will I guess be linked to readers reaction to this untouched area...


	2. Chargin’ Chagrin

Disclaimer: Don't own Evangelion, don't own El Hazard if I'm ticking you off with writing this story, drop me a line and ill send it to cyber oblivion.

Sounds etc. (Authors comments) "Talking" 'thinking/internal monologue'

(An) Okay since I've only just started this story and since I've nearly finished the latest chapter to my other fic I've decided to update this one first and with haste. Now a few questions answered I believe someone asked whatever happened to Kalia's keystaff, well in the second OVA after she was awoken she saw no further reason for having it with her (probably since she uses her opponents energy against them) so she simply gave it to Jinnai, what he did with it after that I'm not sure. Also ill note this chapter is considerably longer than the first, since I guess ive decided to run with this one too... Anyway, times a wasting so on we go...

**Demons and Angels**

**Chapter 2 : Chargin' Chagrin**

Shinji reached out and grasped Kalia's left arm in an attempt to ease her away from the exposed service hatch, speaking in her ear as he did so "It _means_ don't _touch_ unless you want to be burned to a _crisp_ by about five hundred thousand **volts** of electricity"

Kalia was still frozen on the spot as she continued to eye the exposed industrial strength cables, "Electricity... What is it exactly?" she enquired yet never taking her eyes away.

Shinji blinked in confusion, sub-consciously pulling back his restraining hand to scratch his head at the question, "_You_ _know_... electricity" Kalia passed him a blank look, causing him to roll his eyes, "the stuff that lights the lights and powers everything; electrical _energy_"

The girl's confused look suddenly switched to a mask of happy realisation, "Oh _yes_, _I see_"

Shinji cocked an eyebrow, "What? Did you call it something different wherever you were from?"

"Hmm, not really. To me it would be more accurate to say that; in whatever form; through whatever medium... _energy_..." Kalia explained as she stalked a few steps forward, "...Is _energy_" she breathed.

"W-what are you-"

"Let me make you a little recommendation..." Kalia interrupted with her back still turned, "..._Stand back_" She said with slightly wide eyes as she strode one step forward and flipped her right hand up and grasped firmly onto one the groups of exposed cables.

"**Don't**!" Shinji shouted pointlessly as, in an instant, he was thrust back by an almost explosive invisible force accompanying a blinding flash as the massive electrical current was suddenly interrupted...

It took a few seconds for the fazed Shinji to compose himself and open his eyes but he stayed flat on his backside in shock when he saw what was happening in front of him.

"Kalia?" He breathed in shock as he stared on; her hand was clamped firmly around one of the cables with bolts of blue electrical energy crackling around her lower arm, the gem on the gauntlet on her right hand was now glowing brightly while the others over her small slender form also glowed to a lesser degree as they converted the energy flow being flooded into them; the veins up her right arm and across half her back being illuminated brilliant white by the energy now pulsing through her. Her teeth glared as her muscles bulged slightly as her physical power began to push upwards sharply.

Shinji glanced upwards as the lights up and down the corridor began to wane on and off as they struggled to stay lit.

"What the **HELL** is going on!" Came Sub-Commander Fuyutski's demand as he looked left and right about the bridge; its alarms blazing as the lights were flickering and humming on and off along with numerous displays and monitor screens.

"We _don't know_!" Aoba shouted over the noise, glancing up at the lights as they strained to stay on, "We suddenly started registering some kind of _massive_ energy drain coming from somewhere _inside_ NERV Central!"

"Well then! **Isolate it**!" he shot back loudly.

"We **_cant_**!" Maya suddenly shouted desperately, "Our monitoring and security systems across half of headquarters have gone offline; we cant directly pinpoint the source!"

"It's not just in headquarters! All of Tokyo-3 and the surrounding _region_ is going down!" Makoto announced as he read off his screen.

"It must be from one of the main cables then..." Aoba commented in thought.

"My god! Even the main power transfer cables _shouldn't_ be able to transmit power at this rate; the current's flowing faster than we can track; its as if something's _sucking_ the power right out of the system!" Makoto spoke up as he tried his best to track down the source.

"We've got no choice then; try you're best to estimate the source of the drain and sever all energy links to that section; once it's segregated the downed sections should automatically switch to backups" the sub-commander shouted quickly.

---

Kalia, who's face now bore a wide smile as the irises of her usually grey eyes sparkled almost like crystals. When suddenly and abruptly the entire surroundings fell dark and silent.

Slumping forwards and gasping as if she had just came down from being in the thralls of ecstasy Kalia rubbed the sweat off her brow and swung around, the last few traces of energy crackling off her hand and up her arm. " Phew! _Well_ I wouldn't call it the _best_. This 'electrical energy' tasted _really_ watered down; but there sure was a _lot_ of it, I'm hardly satisfied, but at least its a start" she explained.

Curious, she released the cable and stepped back a few steps to look round herself, "Hmm, gotten dark all of a sudden, is it night?"

Shinji who was now dead silent merely had himself standing pinned back against the opposite wall with his jaw hanging open, "Wha-?"

Smiling cutely she walked slowly up to the frozen teen, tracing a finger up his neck and under his chin, she closed his open mouth with her fingertip and pushed herself onto her tiptoes to stare deeply into his eyes almost analytically before quickly moving her head forwards and slowly and carefully brushed her own lips across his own with her usual playful glint in her eyes.

This, predictably, causing Shinji's his eyes to go instantly as wide as saucers as she ran a finger down his cheek slowly, leaving a small trail of blue static bolts in its wake causing him to involuntarily shiver.

Giggling at his uptight reaction she took a wide step back giving him a tad more breathing room. He was now however blushing heavily from her half-seductive actions yet terrified out his wit at the same time. Smiling slyly still, she half turned sideways down the corridor, "Thank you for the lovely meal Shinji; can't say I'm even remotely full yet, but at least I'm not... _starving" _ with that she walked on once Shinji had cautiously pulled himself away from the wall and fell into step beside her.

Several minutes of silence passed as they walked slowly on towards their destination.

"So..." Shinji said finally gathering the courage to speak, staring down at the floor nervously as he walked, "...You can... What? _Absorb_ energy?" he offered in a baffled tone.

"Uh huh... Seems when my body was recreated by this _EVA_ thing it left me with my energy supply practically at nil, I had to get a boost from _somewhere_"

"So... You were fresh out of the factory; tank on empty" Shinji muttered to himself.

"Huh? What was that?"

"N-nothing... S-so how full _are_ you?"

"Not very... But I'm not running empty any more at least"

"You do have a bit more of a spring in your step than you did before" Shinji observed; in comparison, her movements before were somewhat cold and reserved, like she was moving with as little extra effort as was needed. He also couldn't help but notice the slight but still noticeable increase in her overall muscular capacity. Although not exactly anything intimidating; her previous appearance in comparison Shinji thought, was borderline anorexic.

Kalia smirked back at him, "Been _watching me_ have you?"

Shinji merely stammered but then frowned, glancing off to the side in frustration of her attitude.

"Aww, did I ruffle your feathers?" She asked, messing with his hair with a grin.

Shinji jerked his head away from her hand, "_Whatever_, lets just get out of here before they figure out what just happened to the lights and everything, I've got a feeling what you just did didn't go entirely _unnoticed_"

"'kay, lead the way"

Shinji nodded, still in a surreal state of mind over what had just transpired. Pausing as with a hum the lights all around came back on, "Power's back on... Who knows, maybe they _didn't_ notice..."

"Well?" Came Gendo Ikari's one word demand for a report as he walked onto the bridge; things were at such a critical stage in his scenario that something a trifle as a small power loss had better be justified as something that could distract his attention.

"Sir the MAGI calculate we lost almost _5.5 terawatts_ of power during the drain, a few power relays were fused and some of the main power cable links have burned out and those are already being replaced. No other considerable damage or disruption has been reported" Aoba read off his screen.

"5.5 terawatts... In such a short amount of time, how can it be _possible_" Fuyutski spoke in a disbelieving tone.

"What was the source of the drain?" Gendo questioned in a no-nonsense tone, not one to be showing surprise like his subordinate.

"We still haven't found out sir; the instant the drain began it knocked out monitoring in nearly half of headquarters we can only place a general estimate that isolates the source within a two hundred metre circumference"

"That amount of power doesn't just _float out the window_ because of a minor technical fault so _find out_!" The now aggravated sub-commander ordered to any subordinate within ear's range.

"Sir!" came a chorus of replies from around him. Rubbing his brow he turned round to face his only superior officer, blinking in surprise as he noticed he had already departed from the bridge...

---

Fifteen minutes later Shinji was sitting in the NERV cafeteria trying to act as nonchalant as possible as his new 'friend' sat across from him cross-legged on her chair with a childishly curious look on her face as she stared at everything he was eating.

Shinji raised his eyes to the girl, "Are you _sure_ you don't want anything to eat?" the Third asked with a raised eyebrow.

Kalia simply shook her head, "Nope, I told you; I'm not hungry anymore" she said simply as she sipped her drink.

"So what are you going to do then?" Shinji asked suddenly.

"What do you mean?" Kalia asked, gulping her orange juice suddenly to answer.

"_Well_... I mean; where will you live; will you go to school?"

"Don't know about that second thing; but the first one's simple; I'll live with you" she said simply; smiling with a shrug.

Shinji nearly choked on the egg roll he was in the process of chewing as he practically inhaled it when he gasped at her answer.

"What?" She asked baffled at his reaction.

"L-_live_ with me!" he choked out

Kalia's smile faded, "Well _yeah_. Where else would I go?"

Shinji went silent as his head processed this question then sighed in reluctant acceptance, "I guess you're right. Misato is gonna freak though; I'm not quite sure you quite hit it off with her" Shinji said as an understatement.

"_What_? Was it something I said?" She enquired innocently.

'Is this girl schizophrenic or something!' "I think the whole 'old lady' quip kind of struck a chord with her"

Kalia hummed in thought as she glanced off to the side, "Ahh well I'll guess I'll just have to apologize or something"

Shinji frowned slightly, "I get the feeling you wont be entirely sincere though"

"_Hey_, I'm a bio-mechanical-combat-designed-android-girl fallen on hard times; I get _leeway_ for being a bit cranky"

Shinji rolled his eyes and sighed; as far as he could tell; the girl was impossible to reason with considering she seemed to have the ability to pull out a nonchalant answer to pretty much _any_ criticism he voiced.

And it wasn't until _then_ that he noticed the dangerously cold silence that had enveloped the entire NERV cafeteria. I mean we're not talking just _people_ we're talking the birds and insects outside and the very _air_ itself. Shinji felt a sudden chill run down his spine as he noticed even Kalia now sitting dead silent staring beyond him. Staring around and down he suddenly noticed a dark shadow looming directly over him.

"Shinji..." Kalia said in her usual tone, still looking up and behind him.

"What?" Shinji almost whispered.

"You'll never guess what..."

"_What?_" he hissed sharply

"There's a really tall _ugly_ version of you standing _right_ behind you" she said with an extremely amused look, pointing a finger for emphasis.

Shinji's eyes widened as he traced the outline of that shadow in his mind and came up with only one possible owner. Sucking it up he stood up and turned around as for an instant two pairs of eyes met...

"Hello father..."

Gendo merely passed a millisecond-long side glance to his son as the only sign he had registered his presence, else the elder Ikari's eyes were trained downward on the girl sitting cross-legged below him at the table.

Kalia's eyes narrowed at the Supreme Commander analytically for a second before passing back to Shinji, then to the commander and back again, "_Father?_" she echoed, glancing back and forth once more. She enquired back to Shinji, "Were you adopted?"

Shinji's eyes widened in shock at the question. Nervous that his estranged father hadn't budged an inch or made a sound since arrival though he could've _sworn _his eyebrows raised just a fraction of a millimetre at that question, "O-of course not!" Shinji stammered in an almost desperate tone.

"Ahh..." Kalia said sagely, "I'm guessing you inherited your _mother's_ looks then, 'cause besides the whole facial shape thing I can't see much of a resemblance between you and the living _gargoyle_ here" Kalia commented, nodding her head forwards in the direction of the commander of whom was now sharply frowning down at her; being talked about as if he weren't there was _not_ something he was accustomed to.

"So... You are the organism excreted from Unit-01's core at the same time the Third Child was salvaged are you not?" The commander stated more than enquired.

Needless to say; neither his tone nor choice of words boded well with either of the two aforementioned (That's a long word!) people.

Kalia, merely held her face frozen. After about fifteen seconds of silence as they stared eye-locked at one another, Kalia blinked once, "What?"

"I believe you heard me; now answer the question"

"Oh I _heard_ you..." Kalia begun; smiling, yet Shinji noticed her eyes now had a malicious glint to them, "...I was giving you the opportunity to change your words before I gave in to my sudden urge to tear out your intestinal tract and garrotte you with it"

"Kalia!" Shinji gasped, not really in anger but more out of worry for her personal safety. "You shouldn't-"

"-It doesn't matter; Dr Akagi has already informed me of it's tendency for outbursts"

"IT'S?" Kalia snapped, flipping to her feet with blinding speed, slamming the flats of her hands down so hard on the tabletop the plywood surface shattered under the sudden shock as she glared up enraged at the Supreme Commander.

"With all due _respect_; you're digging your own _grave_ father" Shinji said with a hint of desperation; sure he didn't particularly _like_ his father but he was sure he wouldn't take pleasure from watching him being beaten to an inch of his life right in front of him (Well... Not _much_ anyway) and he was seriously wary that the girl was _capable_ of carrying out her previous threat.

"_Shinji_... You may leave now" Gendo said suddenly, still staring down at the girl who was now squaring up to him.

"But father-"

"_Dismissed_ pilot" The commander sharply interrupted.

Shinji averted his eyes in frustration, "Yes, _sir_" and with that he turned and headed off.

"Wait up!" Kalia said, nimbly jumping over the table fragments and round the commander, seemingly not getting the hint that the commander's order did **not** refer to her.

"_You_ will stay" Gendo ordered sharply turning his head round towards her.

Kalia merely paused to give the commander a sidelong profile of her face which now wore a small smirk, "You bore me, and there's only one Ikari in this room I've opted to take anything that even remotely resembles an order from and... Newsflash; You're _not_ him"

The commander's eyes narrowed behind his tinted glasses, "The 'Ikari' you refer to is _my_ subordinate; _he_ takes his orders from me"

"You're point?" the girl enquired with raised eyebrows and a patronising smile on her face.

Now you could probably count the number of times Shinji had stood up to his father on one hand, and although on this occasion it was brisker and held less impact, for some reason; he found it held far more meaning.

"Shinji; you will _command_ it to stay"

Shinji noticed the way Kalia's muscles tense up in anger as he glanced over his shoulder. His eyes narrowed for an instant before turning back forward and starting to walk off again.

"No" came his simple reply as Kalia turned away with a wide grin and headed off, catching up.

"_What_?"

"I believe you heard me" Shinji paraphrased without even looking back.

"So now _you_ defy me? I wouldn't advise it Shinji or else-"

"-Or else... _What_?" Shinji asked, his voice in a trembling whisper, yet audible enough to hear.

Kalia at this point was standing ahead of Shinji; her almost hawk-like vision having both father and son in focus. The look on Gendo's face was slightly more difficult for her to read than the son, the elder man bore a look of non-amused and contained frustration mixed in with what could be construed as a hint of shock.

The _son_ however; was far easier to read, he was a mask of tensed up rage. Now what sparked such a reaction she couldn't know, but it was the subtle look of insecure sadness in his eyes that she could tell was underneath it, at the heart of that burning rage which she was the most curious about. But there was one thing she _was_ sure of and that was; whatever problem had caused _this_ much pain, she would solve; in her own _special_ way... After all, although she had lost her memories of her past, although she didn't know _why_, there was one thing she _did_ know... Revenge seemed a very appealing avenue to take...

It was then, as she stared into his unfocused eyes, that realisation struck her like a metaphorical lightning bolt as she suddenly realised what it was; what had drawn her to him in the first place; whereas _she_ had found herself lost for a time, and, thanks to a stranger who didn't even know her, who felt no loyalty nor command to assist, _she_ had been found. But _Shinji_ was different; he was lost... And still was. He was so like her, in that he felt no genuine reason to do what he does, yet he would ensure her own happiness though he knew it was going to be impossible to ensure his own.

One being locked into a cycle of self-induced infinite loneliness. Though she didn't know how to ultimately solve either her own or her counterpart's problem, she did know one thing; as lonely as he was; she could always be lonely _with_ him.

"So be it..." Came the commander's voice from behind, causing Shinji to halt once more but again not even bothering to turn around.

"_What_?" he enquired impatiently, having never spoken to his father like this before with the exception of when he was in his office after the fight with the 13th Angel.

"You may remain also" Gendo said, his tone holding a note of reluctance.

Gendo said nothing as he found himself staring at his son's back as the child fell silent as he contemplated whether or not to even bother accepting the offer. After a moment, Shinji's head quirked around just enough for his father to get a side profile of his face, "_Alright..._"

Shinji turned around completely and approached his father; Kalia stopping at his side, Shinji bearing a strange look of determination on his face; Kalia's look being similar with the exception of the small predatorial grin and slight unfocused glint in her eyes as she continued to clock just how many ways she could wipe the supreme commander out of existence from the spot she was standing in (Up to 58 and counting).

"Well?" Shinji enquired in an almost monotone voice.

"First; am I right then in my assumption?"

Kalia raised her eyebrows, "Why _yes_, though I wont repeat what you called me, but that's me I guess"

"Then I am _also_ right in assuming that you are responsible for the recent power drain"

Kalia glanced off to the side slightly baring one of her 'innocent' smiles, "What's a drain?"

Gendo's frown deepened as Shinji rolled his eyes, "Careful; the patience I'm exercising with you is out of nothing more than cautiousness, but I assure you; I am _reaching_ my limit"

Shinji rolled his eyes and sighed "Just answer him Kalia"

"Well?" Gendo enquired bluntly.

"It was necessary in order to accomplish my purpose" Kalia replied simply.

"I _see_; and what _is_ this purpose you speak of?"

"I thought you were already 'informed' about me"

Gendo stepped forward and began almost half-circling her slightly as he spoke, "I was; but I'm afraid Dr Akagi's explanation was more of her own personal interpretation; I would like to hear it from _you_"

"_Would you_? And what was the doctors 'interpretation'?" Kalia enquired, her eyes following the commander as he paced in front of her.

"As I see from what she said is that your basic intention is _apparently_ to be subject to the Third Child's whim, for what reason I don't know"

"His WHIM?" Kalia echoed loudly and incredulously, "Either your doctors _deaf_ or you're just _dumb_, but I _thought_ I was clear when I said I would be here to ensure his wellbeing, nothing more; to fight and help him win... _That_'s _it_"

Gendo stopped, raising his eyebrows intriguingly at her response, "I see; and what would define the 'insurance of his wellbeing' as you put it?"

Kalia suddenly gave the commander a wistful smile; an extremely _disconcerting_ one, "To be honest... I class physical _and_ emotional pain as one and the same, being personally very talented in the inducing of the former than the latter I might add, so why don't I start with _you_; You haven't done anything to Shinji in the past that I may need to... _look you up_ for... Have you?" Although the Commander was considerably taller than the small demon girl, the soft yet cold smile, combined with the glint in her eyes was making Gendo feel much smaller than he actually was. This obvious considering she had practically backed him up against the edge of the chair she had recently been sitting at.

"Well?" she calmly whispered; her piercing grey eyes burrowing into the commander's.

"I'm sure my father has nothing he needs to get of his chest, and I'm sure everything's just fine and you and I can go on about our business... Right father?" Shinji suddenly stated more than asked.

She was so small; so fragile-looking; yet her eyes told a whole different story. Something about her just seemed _wrong_ to the Commander. He was no fool; and he knew when to let a sleeping dog lie; this was just such an occasion, "Yes... I don't see how this bares any further upon the current situation. Assuming that is; you're quite _finished_ sapping our power supplies miss... Kalia I believe it was"

"That's my name, and don't worry; I've found the _perfect_ donors to help me restore myself to full strength. Shinji _said_ you're fighting giant monsters. Giant monsters equals giant amounts of energy. That _is_ unless, you've got any objection to me draining _them _for every last ounce of power they have"

Gendo's face froze as he contemplated this; if she _were_ telling the truth she could be an asset and if she weren't capable of getting her power off the angels she would simply be destroyed in the attempt; either way it would be a problem solved, "I have no objection, so long as until such time you keep a 'low profile'; I would like the truth of you're origins and capabilities to remain strictly... _Confidential_. That _includes_ the Second Child and any other NERV personnel who aren't currently aware of the truth of your existence"

Before Kalia could say anything Shinji had inclined his head slightly, "Understood father"

"Very well... Has _she_ been assigned living quarters yet?" Gendo enquired as the situation returned to a more formal state.

"Not yet father, she wants to stay with me and I've got no problem with it... I guess. But it still needs to be approved officially"

Gendo turned and began to leave the cafeteria, speaking no-nonsensically as he did so, "Consider it approved; she may take up residence in your domicile; Major Katsuragi will be informed of the arrangement" And with that, the Supreme Commander disappeared from sight. Swiftly a strangely relieved silence descended upon the two for a moment.

"Well..." Shinji said in a moderately surprised tone, inclining his head slightly, "...I'd say that turned out well"

"Hmm..." Kalia hummed acceptingly yet suspiciously as she stared off in the direction the commander left.

---

Surprisingly, at almost the exact same instant, at another place deep in NERV headquarters, someone else uttered Shinji's exact same words, in a notably more smug tone however.

"Well, I'd say that turned out well" Kaji commented with his arms folded and his eyes lightly closed; his features being illuminated from the darkness only by the glow from the holographic emitter built into the floor of the darkened room. And looking surprisingly relaxed considering the company he was in.

"It did **NOT**, as you say, **turn out well**!" Snapped the mechanically enhanced echoing voice of the Seele-01 monolith or, as better known to his drinking buddies; Kiel Lorenz.

"Well at least the pilot of Unit-01 was recovered successfully-"

"We are _aware_ of the Third's _convenient_ recovery from Unit-01" Seele-12 interrupted harshly.

"Convenient? Are you implying that-" Kaji began curiously with a frown.

"You were informed about asking questions mister Kaji!" Seele-2 interrupted just as briskly.

"Yeah, yeah, well I guess the damage done by the fourteenth Angel _was_ heavy; two EVAs down, one out of action, the Geo-front open, Central Dogma exposed and that's not even _mentioning_ the ground structural losses and loss of life" Kaji began listing in a nonchalant tone more to himself than those around him.

"You need not dictate; we are _aware_ of those losses, they are inconsequential in the long run" Seele-3 commented.

"Ahh; I take it then you're, how shall I say, _disdain_, is more referring to Unit-01's rather _ungraceful _acquisition of an S2 engine then"

"Yes... The incident _has_ made things take a somewhat disturbingly sharp turn" Seele-2 spoke.

Kaji chuckled softly, "_Somewhat _Disturbing, phew! You weren't _there_... I swear... All I can say is I'm **never** eating sushi again!"

"I'm so **GLAD** this situation amuses you so!" Kiel snapped suddenly bringing the situation back to a more serious note.

"We are as yet unsure as of if Ikari has begun to take steps to betraying us, his actions as of late have been... Shall we say; erratic, _namely_ in the area of his loyalty to us. He has however proven in the past to be loyal to our cause and his actions may not be beyond redemption, depending on how well he follows our orders of course."

"And you want me to make sure he's being a good little soldier and not doing anything naughty behind your big grey square backs"

Seele-01 humphed, "_That_, I suppose, would be the general idea"

"Alright, and what of the newcomer?" Kaji enquired as an afterthought.

Kaji's eyes actually opened fully in concealed surprise at Kiel's next tone; it wasn't shock or anything extreme but, for the first time since he had met the council, one of the old men's voices actually held a tone of genuine curiosity, a real tone that said 'this is something I don't know', something Kaji found fascinating to no end to be found in a Seele member's voice, "What?"

"Oh? You don't know?" Kaji enquired, unfolding his arms and dropping them down at his sides as his face took on a serious look.

"Would I _ask_ if I knew! What 'newcomer' do you speak of?" Kiel shouted, sounding genuinely angry. As far as he was concerned he practically ran the entire _world_ and being questioned by some mere turncoat who he already showed ample patience to as it is was beyond insulting in his eyes (well, visor).

"Okay, I'll enlighten you; as it turns out, when Shin- ah, the _Third Child, _was returned from EVA Unit-01, he may have come back alive and well but he did _not_ come _alone"_

Kaji's response to this news was an explosion of murmurs and demands between monoliths as they expressed their shock to one another and to Kaji in an indiscriminate blur of words.

"**ENOUGH!**" Kiel roared over the din, the sound of what was clearly his hand slamming off a desk through the audio link echoed bringing his council to silence and leaving Kaji with slightly ringing ears. Suddenly all twelve monoliths with the exception of Kiel's disappeared as he exercised his power as the Seele chat-room administrator and remotely dismissed them. Kaji glanced left and right at the now mostly darkened room before turning back to the remaining monolith, "Elaborate Mister Kaji" Kiel demanded in a cool and calmer voice.

"_Well_ as far as I can _see_ the EVA simply released another Child along with Shinji, she was about his age and height only with white hair, she's been hospital bound since and was recently released with the Third Child" Kaji explained, _conveniently _forgetting to include the information on the recent power outage.

"And this... _newcomer... _have you made a threat assessment?"

"As far as I can tell she's totally harmless, I heard she reacted like a scared cornered animal when she first awoke, she's odd, but I doubt even _Ikari _could've foreseen this one coming she is, as the head of our section 1 reported, simply an anomaly"

Silence descended between the man and the holographic monolith for a painful moment as it was clear Kiel was in deep thought.

Hating the silence Kaji spoke up, "So... I take it you will be wanting me to continue with the _invitation_ of the Sub-Commander to your little congregation then?"

Silence continued again for about five or six more seconds before Kiel spoke up suddenly, "No..."

"No?" Kaji echoed curiously.

"I want you to investigate this 'anomaly' for a time and see if it will have any baring upon our future plans, and as for the sub-commander, you may consider his 'invitation' revoked... Until the situation becomes more clarified at least... That will be all" And with that the grey monolith disappeared into nothingness leaving the agent alone.

As he stared into the darkness, his thoughts racing through his head, he couldn't help but allow a marginally relieved look to grace his features. This was an unexpected change of plans but at least, he was sure; this way he may live just a little bit longer and _hopefully_ with the added time, may get just one small step closer to the truth than he would have before...

Allowing himself a small smile he flipped a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, lit one, and walked through the nearby concealed door and back into the light...

---

"So... I'm going to be living with you and that purple haired lady with the short temper then..."

"Her _name_ is Misato, Kalia" Shinji said with a hint of annoyance as suddenly his eyes widened in horror as something struck him like a punch to the gut; a fact he hadn't considered up until now; that being it wasn't _just_ Misato and Shinji Kalia would have to live with... There was still one more, and Shinji had a stomach churning feeling... That they probably wouldn't end up getting on like a house on fire, they may end up _setting_ the house on fire, but... Well... To put it simply, as far as Shinji could tell; the most difficult step was yet to come...

The silence in the elevator went on, with Shinji baring his usual mask of indifference staring blankly ahead with Kalia standing with her arms folded and a clearly impatient expression on her face. That was until the silence was broken by a resounding 'ding'. Kalia's eyes watched curiously as Shinji instinctively moved to the side of the elevator carriage in anticipation of whomever might board.

Kalia, from her perspective was somewhat confused as to why Shinji was now standing between her and the door, totally obscuring her view of what was happening in front of her.

Shinji blinked in surprise at the familiar face that boarded the elevator, hit the same ground level button he had and turned around...

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the erstwhile Third Child..." the newcomer said with his usual happy insightful tone.

"H-hey Kaji. I'm glad to see You're alright."

"Oh? And why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, after all the damage the last angel did and how my EVA went berserk I was worried something may have happened to you; you being out on geo-front at the time and all"

Kaji smiled widely as he cocked his head, "Well that's a nice sentiment Shinji but as you can see; I'm all fine and dandy... Thanks to you"

"No... It was mostly the EVA, I barely did anything" Shinji corrected in his usual meek tone.

"_No_, it was your fight, from your own decision, _you_ re-entered the EVA, _you_ engaged that angel, it was _you_ Shinji who came through for not just me, but for Misato, Asuka, Rei, your friend who was hurt in the fight with the 13th... Everyone... You came back, you saved us all, and all I can personally say is thank you" Kaji said, smiling softly at the pilot.

"W-well I doubt I could've done it without you Kaji; you helped me realise what I could still do"

"Ahh well, I do what I can and try to ask little in return..." Kaji said, still smiling, before cocking his head and saying as if on an afterthought, "...Though there is _one_ thing I might ask"

"Y-yeah? What?" Shinji asked, looking up.

"Well it's just... Though I don't mean to sound rude... Are you making a somewhat _bad_ attempt to hide a _girl_ behind your back?" Kaji enquired rhetorically, now grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"W-wha?" Shinji gaped quirking his head around to glance backwards suddenly as he realised he had in fact sub-consciously moved himself in front of the white haired girl. Quickly he took a sidestep out of the way to the opposite side of the elevator.

"Hmm..." Kaji hummed analytically as he eyed the girl up and down, "... My, my Shinji, sneaking a girl into headquarters eh? How _bold_ of you, though I _could_ recommend a few better places to bring your dates, I know some great... _hotels_"

"D-don't be ridiculous Kaji!" frowned the Third in as level a tone as he could muster.

Kalia in the meanwhile was merely staring at Kaji with cold eyes as she attempted to see what she could make of him. Unfortunately; very little at pure face value with the exception of one...

"You need a shave" Kalia said suddenly and abruptly, causing Shinji and Kaji to halt in their conversation and stare at her in silence.

"So every girlfriend I've had since I was twenty tells me" Kaji replied, his smile reappearing.

"And how many decades ago was that?" Kalia enquired smiling cutely, predictably causing Kaji's smile to melt again as he felt part of his positive self-image spontaneously shatter.

"Kalia! I'm sorry Kaji she's ahh..." Glancing around quickly he threw out the first word that came to mind,"...French"

Kaji's face went blank for a moment in sheer bafflement before giving a small chuckle under his breath, "Explains the feistiness, she _is_ a cute one Shinji" Kaji said inclining his head as he shook off the insult to his young manliness.

"I'm _what_?" Kalia enquired to Shinji in a bewildered tone.

"I-it's not important, anyway she's going to be living with me from now on"

"Oh? Is that so, well I'm sure you're all going to get along just fine. So... If you're not here on a date, why _are _you here miss Kalia?"

Smiling, she closed her eyes and leaned against the wall in a relaxed poise, "He can tell you" she said simply inclining her head towards the pilot; exerting effort making up lies to suit situations she didn't really care about seemed a pointless menial task, and she had Shinji to take care of those now"

'gee thanks' Shinji grumbled in thought, "Ahh, she's just here... Because she was away when her parents were killed in Second Branch's loss, She's... An orphan, assigned to be with NERV I'm... Ahh... guessing she's a pilot candidate or something and I was just showing her out and having no where else to go she's being sent to live with us" Shinji said, picking up the pace as he made it up as he went along.

Kaji did a double take as he raised his eyebrows, "Oh, I see... I'm sorry about your loss Kalia, but I'm sure Shinji here will do his best to make you feel right at home" he said lightly, his tone coming from the pleasant surprise as to how well Shinji spun such a decent lie on the spot; using second branch as a ruse with it being gone there would be no sure or easy way to check up on her past.

"Why thank you sir!" Kalia said with her usual mask of innocence.

Shinji rolled his eyes at her quick change as the elevator came to a halt and all three left, Kaji stopping just outside them at a crossroads in the corridor, "Well you'll have to excuse me, I still have work to do"

"Okay, I'll see you later Kaji" Shinji said smiling slightly.

"Later Shinji, and it was nice meeting you too miss Kalia"

"You too" she said back brightly.

"And give Asuka my regards; she's been a bit depressed ever since the last battle, you saw how badly that last angel beat her, her pride took a big hit, so try and cheer her up okay?"

"How do I do that?"

"Well... I'm guessing she's started to take to doubt her own skills and may go down the self-blame route, so try and shift the blame of her loss away from her, anywhere, thats all I can think of"

"O-okay, ill try my best"

"I'm sure you will Shinji" he said supportively as he turned around and headed off. This avenue of intelligence gathering had yielded little in the way of results besides that of her somewhat unstable personality, so now it was on to the usual route of surveillance footage, medical and other records from which he would have to draw his own conclusions...

---

"So..." Kalia began, as they walked out onto the brightly sunlit streets of Tokyo-3, "Who's this 'Asuka' then?"

"She's... Your other housemate"

"_Another_ one? How many are there?"

"Just Misato, Asuka and me. Unless you include Misato's pet Pen-Pen"

"I'll stick with counting the humans. And this _Asuka_, is she as much 'damaged goods' as that Kaji said"

"To be perfectly honest you remind me of her sometimes; the quick personality switching and violent tendencies that is, though she doesn't really go so far as the whole grievous bodily harm and mutilation like you do"

"Hmph, you make me sound like a monster"

Shinji sighed, "No, monsters would probably run from you, I'm just saying Asuka's a little bit... Unstable, so please, _please_ will you at least _try_ and get along with her and I'm saying no cracks about age, her looks, strength or weakness just... _don't_. If you need a verbal punching bag that much for god's sake just use me, lord knows I'm used to it"

"She sounds pretty screwed up to me and stop making me sound so _evil_, I promise, ill be good." she said in a tone so sweet you could lose a foot to diabetes.

"Even if she insults you?" Shinji enquired critically

"I can take a few low blows" she replied simply.

"Even if she swings for you?" he pushed

"Unless she uses one of those EVA things you told me about I doubt that'll pose much of a problem" she said just as simply again.

"Alright... I'll trust you Kalia"

"Hey, you're saying that like it's a hard thing to do; I said I can be good, so I will be good, I'll even think of a way to cheer her up if her pride's been bruised that badly"

"You will?" Shinji asked disbelievingly.

"Well I _am_ able to calculate probabilities and analyze combat situations to find the best outcomes in less than a split second; so why don't you tell me how she lost, what the enemy was capable of and the general situation and I'll think something up" She explained surely.

Shinji stopped to look at her for a second, "...Okay" he said, smiling slightly at her as he turned back forwards and headed onward recounting all the details he could remember and what he had been told had happened during the assault of the 14th Angel...

---

"Then she's a moron" Kalia concluded as they approached Shinji's apartment complex

"Hey! I thought-"

"I _meant_ she's a moron for getting knotted up and blaming herself, the outcome couldn't have been any different in my opinion based on what you tell me about the enemy and its main attack methods.

"Tell that to her" Shinji grumbled.

"Don't worry; _I will_"

And with that they entered the apartment building...

---

"Well... Here we are" Shinji said as he walked in and dropped his bag at his side.

"Hmm... Not bad, certainly better than that last dump we were at"

"I take it you're talking about NERV central, but anyways, just make yourself at home"

"Okay..." She said cautiously as she stepped over the threshold, glancing around herself, flinching slightly as the door suddenly slid shut behind her.

Shinji laughed softly, "You know for someone with the whole tough girl attitude, you're pretty jumpy"

Kalia's eyes suddenly stopped glancing around as she quickly stepped ahead of Shinji and swung around to face him, inadvertently causing him to bash face first into her cleavage.

Shinji shook his senses back online to notice Kalia staring angrily down at him, "_Look, _in case you've forgotten, I don't know where I _am_, where I _came_ from and have long term memories that can be measured back in _hours... _And that's not the worst part" She said, suddenly looking solemn and averting her eyes.

"W-what? What is it Kalia?"

"I've lost something... Something big"

"What? You mean your memories?"

"Not just that... There was something else, something's missing; a part of myself is gone... Every time I get angry, every time I want to destroy something... It feels as if it was burning from there; a huge gaping empty hole in my soul... My old purpose; that hole was where my previous programming was; something I was meant to do above all else, but now its gone, my _reason _was gone, leaving just _me_"

"You've... Told me this before... Haven't you?" Shinji said slowly as he stared at the girl.

"You remember now, don't you?"

Shinji nodded once in reply, "And You're saying the only thing you could find to fill that hole was-"

"-You... Yes" Silence fell, as suddenly the quiet was broken as Shinji suddenly started laughing to himself, louder and louder, Kalia looked back at Shinji disbelievingly, "WHAT!"

"I-I'm sorry, but I was just thinking... I must make one _lousy_ friekin' substitute! No wonder there's still a big gap!" Shinji said between laughs as Kalia suddenly started chuckling also.

Slowly her laugh died down leaving only a small smile in its place," I think... You're better than nothing though"

Shinji suddenly blinked as he stared at the android girl for a moment stunned at what he could swear was the first genuine smile she had given since they had met, before smiling back in kind, "Better than nothing... Its sad... But I _think_ that that's one of the nicest things anyone's ever said to me"

Her smile suddenly became a smirk as she reached up and jerked him forward slightly into her arms, pressing herself right up against him, she slowly raised a hand to his cheek as he raised his eyes to meet hers, breathing a small sigh as she ran her finger up the side of his face as she brought her own face close to his own, resting her cheek against his, she breathed softly in his ear, causing him to shudder in her arms as she whispered slowly so only he could hear, "You know what _I_ think... I _think_... I'd like to make you mine" Unfortunately however, as she pulled back, still smirking mischievously at the now wide eyed awe struck pilot, another person thought apt to make a rather untimely entrance.

"What the **HELL**?"

---

Kalia turned her head around to the form standing behind her curiously, "Ahh, you must be Asuka!" she said cheerily, swinging around, however not choosing to release her iron vice-like grip on what she considered her new favourite possession, effectively swinging him around with her.

Shinji attempted to ease himself free in vain, so did the next best thing and slowly wriggled around 180 degrees in her grip so he was facing forwards... And gulped.

"Oh... Hi Asuka! It's... Ahh, been a while" he said with a distinctly red face as Asuka's mouth opened and closed as she fought to find words to say.

"I..Ahh... Who the **hell** are _you_?" she snapped, finally settling on anger as her usual fallback.

"My names Kalia, a pleasure to meet you!"

"And _what, _pray tell, are you doing here?" the redhead enquired through gritted teeth.

"She's... Our new housemate" Shinji said meekly, averting his eyes, predicting an obviously bad reaction.

His prediction, was correct, "SHE'S **WHAT!"** came her demanding roar which caused even the android girl to wince, "Since WHEN!"

"Since the commander _ordered_ it" Came Misato's voice from behind as she stood over the three having silently entered seconds earlier.

"B-but why?" Asuka gasped glancing from the girl to the major and back again.

"The _official_ explanation is that her parents were killed in the loss of the Second Branch, she was apparently on the outskirts at the time and because of the blast wave she suffered significant memory loss. Being the only survivor she was recently transferred to NERV Central's infirmary for further tests... She was just released. Having no one _else_ to take care of her the commander saw _us_ as the only safe and remotely stable environment to put her in" She explained, her tone purveying a lack of amusement yet still had an accepting sound to it.

Asuka's eyes narrowed at the girl as she stared her up and down, "Amnesiac huh? Great, so now we're taking in brain damaged strays, what next?"

Shinji felt Kalia's grip tighten on him somewhat, else she kept her cool and her smile in place, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience" She said lightly, bowing slightly her grip inadvertently forcing Shinji to do the same.

"And you've known each other, how long?" Asuka offered, a steel smile on her face.

Kalia cocked her head, her smile never faltering, "About a day I guess"

"you're awfully... Clingy, considering you've only known each other a _day_" She said through her teeth, her smile having clearly lost it's emotion.

Kalia giggled, "Ahh well I guess I just took a liking to him, why? _Jealous_?" she enquired rhetorically, her smile becoming a slight smirk Shinji couldn't see.

"WHAT! _ME_? Jealous of you for _what_? You can keep the dork for all I care!" She shouted angrily, folding her arms and turning away sharply.

"An orphan..." Shinji lamented quietly, "That sounds just like-"

"-Shinji..." Misato suddenly said calmly, stopping him in mid sentence, "...I'd like to talk to you outside for a moment alone" She commanded more than requested, inclining her head towards the front door.

"Okay.." He replied, attempting to turn away also, but found himself still stuck, he managed to turn his head round just enough to look at the girl holding him, "Kalia... As nice a combined back warmer and posture corrector as you make; I _really_ need you to let me go for a moment"

Kalia hummed and glanced off to the side as if in thought before nodding once and opening her arms allowing Shinji free to follow his commanding officer outside, leaving probably the two most volatile people on the planet in a locked room together...

---

"I was going to say, what you said sounds just like what I made up when Kaji asked me about her" Shinji said as they stopped a few metres away from the door.

"And _apparently_ Kaji told the commander what you had said and he took a liking to the excuse and had it sent out as the new _truth, _you can guess what other details about her have now been classified top secret"

"I like the amnesia touch he threw in, makes the lie even easier "Shinji said in a begrudging tone, "And I'm sorry; its kind of my fault she's staying here now, I was the one who told my father where she wanted to stay; with me namely and how it didn't have approval-"

Misato interrupted, "-and he approved it on the spot eh? Yeah, I guessed it went something like that, don't worry I don't have that much of a problem with it. God knows where she's gonna sleep though; Asuka took the only spare room when she moved in" It was at that that Misato saw Shinji's face suddenly pale quickly, "What?"

"Nothing, I just had a bad premonition of how our new guest might suggest we solve the sleeping arrangements"

Misato laughed quietly at her charge's reaction as her look suddenly became serious, "Shinji..."

"Y-yes?"

"I understand you two have become close, and I'm not just talking your little hugging display, she may have confided in you and you may have begun to place your trust in her, but Shinji... You've _got_ to remember; we still don't know _what_ she is, beyond that she was originally designed to be some kind of weapon and _then_ we don't know what she was going to be used to _do_..."

"...Whatever it was" Shinji suddenly interrupted, "...It wasn't very nice, I think she was originally meant to do something terrible, something so horrible even without her memories she can still feel the rage from before"

Misato was now looking seriously at her young charge, "...Shinji, if you know that then you _have to_-" she was however interrupted again.

"Its just intuition Misato. But I think, whatever inclination she had to do something that terrible... Was removed, and _I think_, it was EVA which removed it"

"W-what do you mean?"

"Like I said, its just intuition, but I _think_, when she came to be in the EVA from wherever it was she came from, the EVA must've detected and removed it from her, like some sort of defensive mechanism"

"you cant be sure..." Misato said, yet still lulling over what Shinji had said.

"_No_, but id like to be right. She's... A little coarse, but I'd like to think we could be friends at least"

Misato couldn't help but smile warmly at the Third's sentiment, "I hope so too, if she can learn to mind her mouth at least"

"Ahh, yeah, about the whole 'old lady' thing, she didn't really know it was a touchy subject here and I'm sure she's sorry about it"

"Well, if anyone can teach someone some manners I'm sure it's you Shinji"

"I'll try..."

"We'd better head back inside; leaving her and Asuka alone together for too long cant be a good idea" Misato said as she turned and started back for the door, "Is it true you told Kaji she was French?" She asked suddenly grinning

"I've no idea; It was the first thing that came to mind"

"_French?_"

"like I said; no _idea_..."

---

While the conversation outside was occurring...

Kalia had went back to rocking on the balls of her heels with her hands clasped in front of her as Asuka attempted to build the urge to turn away with mock disinterest and storm off back to her room where she had been wallowing almost non stop over the past month when she wasn't in getting tested or her occasional visits to Unit-01. Having questions about the strangers bizarre fashion statements at the front of her mind she had one more pressing question, "Just what the hell is up with you and the Third Child!"

"Nothing... Yet, I just kinda like him"

"Oh of course Shinji's just _so_ loveable! Shinji's just _so_ special! Oh and if they bother to ask you to pilot an EVA; don't bother 'cause our _invincible_ Shinji will simply sweep down riding in on a white horse and _save the day_ like usual!"

"Pfft! Are you _still_ bummed about losing that last fight, yeesh! Its not like there was anything _you_ could've done"

"And just WHAT THE **HELL** DOES THAT MEAN!" Asuka indignantly shouted as she marched up to the girl.

"Jeez red, take a chill, what I meant was tactically speaking you were simply placed directly into a no-win situation, you did good just to get out _alive_"

"Oh a 'no-win situation', such things don't stop our almighty Shinji from winning though does it!"

"Since when did I say the enemy was indestructible... I'll explain further shall I? I meant _you_ were placed into a no-win situation. This _angel_ thing was clearly in preference for devastating long and medium range attack patterns, _you _ were placed directly into its preferential line of fire where it _knew_ you could do no damage, the only reason _Shinji_ won was because at the last second he managed to get in at extreme close range _behind_ any of its attacks. Your loss was nothing more than a sheer misjudgement on the part of your superiors, had your 'invincible Shinji' been there at the same time there was just as easy a chance the same would've happened to him"

Asuka tried to come up with a furious retort but could only avert her eyes, "So what are you trying to say then?" she asked quietly.

"I'm _saying_ Red, that you have _dumb_ superiors; _shit happens_; and get over it!"

"Great, now I'm getting pity from complete strangers..."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not sympathising, I'm just _correcting_"

"Yeah... Well I guess I could do to question Misato's and the Commander's orders a bit more; _then_ we'll see just how good Shinji is when he's not just running on a streak of luck caused by _me_ being used as _cannon fodder_"

"Hmm" Kalia hummed acceptingly, reasonably sure she had accomplished the task she had set out to do...

---

Later that evening once everyone had settled down, Misato, Asuka and Shinji for dinner and Kalia in front of the television giving a simple excuse to Asuka that she had already eaten substantially.

It was slightly later that Asuka endeavoured to clean up the self made destruction she had inflicted on her room over the last month in a fit of depressed rage, for some reason feeling somewhat silly about it now as Misato settled into her nightly paperwork as a certain question was finally raised by Asuka as if on an afterthought as she carried out another bag full of garbage out of her room to the trash, "So... _Where_ is she going to sleep?"

Kalia spoke up first before the others could get a word in, "Well that's easy I'm sleeping with-"

"-Misato!" Shinji suddenly spoke up to his guardian, silencing Kalia before she could say something _he_ would surely regret, "Could you give me a hand getting one of the futons out of the storage closet; Kalia can have my bed; I'll be sleeping on the floor in my room"

"O-okay" Misato said unsurely as she pulled herself from round the kitchen table to help the pilot as Asuka suddenly spoke up.

"W-wait a minute! That means you'll be _together_... In the _same room_!" she elaborated with a stunned shout.

Shinji just groaned painfully "Trust me Asuka; this is me _compromising_ here; Kalia doesn't even like being more than a few _feet_ from me, so this is me finding the only way I can to _not_ have her joined at my hip 24-7"

"Pfft _fine_! It's still perverted though!" Asuka protested as she swung back around and headed out to dump her garbage.

"Now I'm trusting you Shinji" Misato said as she rolled out the futon on the floor of his room, Shinji following in with a couple of pillows.

"To what!" Shinji gaped.

"Ooh I think you can guess" The major teased with a mischievous smirk.

"You should be telling _that_ to _her_" Shinji muttered as he flattened out his new sleeping area stabbing a finger over his shoulder.

"Yes Kalia, now no jumping Shinji in the middle of the night you hear"

"Ooh I'll try to resist it" she said as she rocked back and forth on her knees on Shinji's bed testing it's support before flopping onto her back.

"Umm... Don't you want to get changed for bed?" Misato asked as she stopped at the door on her way out of the room.

Kalia blinked, "Changed? Into what?"

Misato hummed in thought for a second, "Good point, you'll just have to sleep as you are, I'll measure you up tomorrow and go and buy you a few things, cant have you wearing the same thing _every_ day and night can we?"

"'kay" Kalia chimed as Shinji left to get changed for bed.

---

It was an hour and a half later after, long after Shinji had fallen asleep with surprising ease that night along with his redheaded co-worker, that Kalia, who was still wide awake, finally gave up at attempts at going to sleep and quietly proceeded to slide off the bed she was laying on top of and creep around the third child and out of his door.

The only other conscious resident of the household of whom had been sitting at the kitchen table with her laptop open catching up on her late night paperwork and, having sat in silence for over an hour hence had her senses particularly sharp at the time, heard the subtle shuffling sound of Shinji's door opening then closing a second later.

Misato silently slid from around the table and creep to the edge of the kitchen and peeked into the corridor just in time to catch sight of their newest resident opening the front door and silently walking out. Quickly Misato sleeked up to the door and watched through the eyehole as the figure walked off to the opposite side of their floor and, after a moment of hesitation, followed the upward stairwell.

Giving her a few seconds to get clear, the Major swiped up her jacket and slid on her trainers before quietly following on behind her.

Creeping up the stairs the Major quickly saw the sight of the security door to the roof widely ajar, moonlight poring in from outside. Resting her back against the wall Misato slowly slid up the stairs against it, just enough so she could peek round and out of the open door at the top.

The major's eyes narrowed in mild shock at the sight which befell her, the rooftop itself was empty, but on the far corner post of the chain link fence which surrounded it, standing in perfect balance stood Kalia; bathed under the blue moonlight giving an eerie ethereal look about her as she stared blankly out over the horizon.

'What is she _doing?_'

"It's bad manners to stare Misato..." Kalia suddenly lamented, not even turning to look at her.

Misato flinched back in shock with the old 'hand in the cookie jar' feeling, tempted to flee back to her apartment but, seeing little point in it she sighed and turned round out the door and strode calmly across the roof, stopping a few metres away from the girl and resting her hands in her pockets, "Let me guess... Couldn't sleep?"

"Can you blame me?"

"I guess not, but I would have picked a slightly better spot to meditate on the fact"

"That's _not_ why I'm here..."

"Oh?"

"I can't sleep... Because of the noise"

Misato blinked and glanced around, straining to hear something but only being greeted with dense silence, "Noise? What are you talking about?"

"I take it you _know_ about my special ability"

Misato frowned slightly, "Yeah, I heard about your little charge up back at NERV, so I'm guessing you just have some ability to drain and store electrici-"

"-_energy_ Misato... I can drain, convert, stock and use any form of energy, electricity is only one of them"

"I... see... So what's this got to do with this _noise_ you're talking about?"

"The gems, on my gauntlets and shoulders are what are key to attracting and storing that energy and when I'm inert, or resting, my senses become extremely heightened; its a defence mechanism; also makes me one hell of a light sleeper... Anyway; in the air here... There's _energy_; little threads; _thousands _of them... Voices... White noise... When I'm resting; the gems _read_ the energy ARGH! Its so loud! This world is so damn loud! I can't block them out!" the demon girl said desperately, grasping her head and shaking it from side to side.

Misato reached up, but held her hand back, "Wa-wait, just calm down... Wait; threads of energy... Voices in the air... Do you mean... _Transmissions_? You can intercept and decode transmissions in the air?"

"Only when I'm in a rested state, it's involuntary" Kalia said with a sneer.

"Well, why don't you just take them off?"

"What?" she enquired turning to the Major.

"You know, if those red gem things are what are causing the trouble why don't you just take them off at night?"

Kalia glanced off to the side, "I told you; I have nothing else to wear; and this outfit doesn't come with matching underwear you know... Don't worry; I can manage for one night, if you find me some alternative to wear tomorrow then there wont be a problem"

"And tonight?" Misato asked, surprised at how easily concerned she found herself.

"Don't worry; tonight... I'll be fine"

"Okay..." Misato said nodding her head, "Come back inside, if you stay out too long you'll catch a cold... If that's possible for you"

"It's not... But don't worry, go on; I'll follow behind in a little while"

Misato turned to walk away, "okay, I'll leave the door unlocked when you feel like coming in" and with that she headed off.

Kalia watched until the Major disappeared from the rooftop as an idea suddenly struck her; this evident with the smirk the quickly spread across her face.

Hopping off the fence she walked out to the dead centre of the roof and stopped. Slowly she raised her hands in front of her with her fingertips touching together as suddenly her gauntlet's gems began to glow slightly as a small crackling transparent sphere of energy formed in the gap between her hands. She stared down as the ball spun round slowly as, abruptly, she pulled her hands apart and outward like a wingspan the ball silently exploded outwards with a silent transparent wave; passing through her and across the rooftops around her and extending almost invisibly to the edges of Tokyo-3.

The girl dropped her hands back to her sides and glanced around; closing her eyes and breathing deeply she smiled satisfactorily and headed off the roof back to her apartment...

Her gems still glowed slightly though it was so dim it was almost impossible to discern from normal as they worked to maintain the wave she had created...

---

Quietly the white haired girl stalked back into her room and flopped softly onto her bed and closed her eyes; smiling contentedly as she basked in the silence that now surrounded her for a few seconds before surrendering herself to sleep.

To those In the Katsuragi household this would be wordlessly remembered as one of the most tranquil nights of rest any of them had or would ever have.

To the rest of the world, well... For _them_, it would simply be remembered as one of the most mysterious and unexplained 8-hour communications blackouts in the history of Tokyo-3...

---

(AN) And that as they say, is that, for this chapter anyways. Anyhoo I hope it didn't disappoint too much, though I guess that's what reviews are for...

Anyway, coming up in the next chapter, with Kalia's hospital visit leaving her in a bad way the untimely attack of the 15th angel forces her to take some drastic action as the true depths of her malicious nature are revealed...

C U then!


End file.
